Crystal Palace are ready to go with the £13million bid that will activate his release clause and free him to make the switch to Selhurst Park.

However, Townsend still has the right to snub the deal and remain at Newcastle if he wants.

Supporters on Twitter last night launched a #stayandros campaign in a bid to sway the winger’s mind.

Benitez has already met with Townsend this summer and received some positive feedback from the man who was controversially axed by Roy Hodgson for Euro 2016.

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But the interest in Townsend from Premier League clubs has not dropped this summer, and Palace are leading the way for his signature, with Watford and Stoke City also in the hunt for the ex-Tottenham Hotspur man.

Newcastle boss Benitez is looking to tie up two Premier League players in Dwight Gayle and Matt Ritchie, while Belgium’s keeper of the year Matz Sels has already signed up to Rafa’s promotion push.

Gayle is not part of any deal that will see Townsend head to Palace and Benitez has already told the former QPR loanee he wants him to stay on in the Sky Bet Championship.

The clause in Townsend’s contract was put in place at the request of the winger’s representatives last January when he arrived from White Hart Lane.